According to ESPN, security has been stepped up ahead of the NFL's first game in Brazil after players from the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers raised concerns about safety in Sao Paulo.
The two NFC rivals will meet in Week 1 at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, marking the first-ever NFL game to be played in South America.
As the NFL continues to expand globally, players like Eagles star receiver AJ Brown are finding that a lot of what not to do is passed down to players aspiring to make the NFL.
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Arena Corinthians before the first leg of the Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores 2022 round of 16 match between Corinthians and Boca Juniors on June 28, 2022 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Alexandre Shneider/Getty Images)
“We had a ton of meetings about what not to do,” Brown told reporters, via ESPN. “So I'm just going to go out there and win a football game and come home.”
Eagles teammate and top cornerback Darius Slay Jr. echoed Brown's comments on his podcast, “Big Play Slay,” adding that players have been instructed to stay put and not take to the streets.
Eagles star says he told family not to come to Brazil due to safety concerns: 'Crime rate is crazy'
“Week one. I'm excited and can't wait. But I don't want to go to Brazil. Want to know why? I'll tell you why,” Srey explained. “I was told not to leave the hotel. I was told not to be too active there because the crime rate is so high.”
Slay questioned why the NFL would want to host games in Brazil in the first place, given the safety concerns.
“I'm like, 'NFL, why are you sending us to a country with such a high crime rate and trying to get us out of the country?' The first thing that comes to mind is a terrorist attack,” he said. “I told my family not to come out there because you're not going to find me anywhere. After a long nine-and-a-half-hour flight, I'm going to relax in the hotel, mind my own business and play my game.”
NFL International Senior Vice President Gerrit Meyer announced at a press conference on February 10 that the first NFL game will be played in São Paulo. (Bruno Escolastico Souza Silva/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Slay later apologised for his comments on social media, saying he was sorry if he caused offence to anyone.
But Slay's concerns are legitimate because he is not the only one to voice them — and the São Paulo state government has responded accordingly.
“To ensure the safety of the players, military police will be deployed upon the delegation's arrival at Guarulhos airport and will escort the team to the hotel, training ground and stadium,” the statement said, via ESPN.
This is not the first time the NFL has played in a location where safety concerns have been raised, having played in Mexico since 2005.
Panoramic view of the stadium before the match between Corinthians and Palmeiras as part of the Brasileirao Serie A 2021 at Arena Corinthians on September 25, 2021 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Alexandre Shneider/Getty Images)
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The Eagles and Packers are scheduled to travel to Brazil on Wednesday to prepare for the start of the 2024 NFL season with both teams considered playoff contenders.
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